1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to modular wall assemblies of the type used for earth excavations, concrete forms and temporary enclosures. More specifically, the invention relates to a unique set of parts and materials that facilitate the assembly and disassembly of such walls in the widest possible variety of shapes and layouts with a minimum number of different parts.
2. Description of the Invention
Construction forms for pouring concrete, and shoring forms for supporting the earthen sides of excavations and the like have been well known and widely used for many years. Similarly, the walls used to define such forms can also be employed when desired to construct temporary enclosures for storing and protecting construction equipment and supplies. However, the forms and elements available for these purposes in the prior art are generally limited in adaptability and restricted in the shapes and layouts that can be achieved without extensive inventories of different parts and materials.
The present invention overcomes these problems and other limitations of the prior art by providing a set of construction elements comprising a limited number of standard parts that can be interconnected easily in many ways to define a wide variety of configurations. The shape of each part reduces the required number of differently shaped parts to a minimum while permitting the parts to be interconnected with each other in a maximum number of different alignments and orientations.
That is, the parts of the wall system of this invention in general comprise a plurality of differently sized but otherwise substantially identical elongate rib elements that are interconnectable with each other to define a supporting framework or skeleton, and a plurality sheet-like skin elements of tough, stiffly flexible material that than can be fastened readily to the skeleton to define the desired wall structure.
The rib elements of the system of this invention each include a variety of specifically shaped and located bolt-receiving openings that allow the insertion of rib bolts to secure the rib elements to each other. Similarly, the skin elements are perforated in a regular pattern to receive threaded hanger bolts that serve to fasten the skin to the skeleton. The heads of the hanger bolts and the perforations in the skin are specifically shaped to permit the heads to pass through the skin in both directions under certain circumstances, to facilitate assembly and disassembly of a wall structure.